pathos

USAGE SUMMARY

"Pathos" is correct and usable in written English.
Pathos is an emotion or feeling that is expressed in language so it can be used in any written genre. For example, you could use pathos in a personal story to help the reader understand the deep feelings that the protagonist is experiencing. For example, "The sadness in her voice and her tear-filled eyes made it clear that her grieving process was full of pathos".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Later, when she sent me the bill for her lingerie, which she claimed had ripped when she fell from the chair, I began feeling "pity, sympathy, tenderness, or sorrow" for myself, especially when my wife found the Visa bill and was like, "Who the hell is Edna Sapperton?" Why is pathos useful?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Updated at 11.43pm AEST Facebook Twitter Google plus Share Share this post Facebook Twitter Google plus close 8.13pm AEST11:13 Romania has rescued us from Carl, the Norwegian, who drowned in his own pathos.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Lesser fly-on-the-wall programmes would have ladled the pathos on with a shovel but there's an unfussy, understated humanity here.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

That conclusion defined the exhilaration and pathos of sport.

The Guardian - Sport

It bewilders me that a translator of a Chekhov play should concern themselves with accurately replicating in English the Russian of the early last century even if this comes at the expense of the vitality, sensuality, pathos, rage and compassion of the spirit in which those plays were first made.

The Guardian

Theory Of Funny: Pathos This week, let's discuss pathos, which my online dictionary defines as "arousing feelings of pity, sympathy, tenderness, or sorrow", and then there's a pop-up offering a free-trial phone sex call with someone who can reduce my mortgage payment.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

That added another layer of pathos, which made me even more keen to dignify these last two commercial skulls".

The Guardian - Arts

From this example of pathos, we can learn many valuable lessons: 1) Try to be rich, so that if your overcoat gets stolen, it will be no big deal - you can just buy a new one.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The compulsively watchable Ms Mirren brings out the humour and the pathos in this contradiction".

The Guardian - Opinion

Weird, really, that we rarely see the same humour, pathos, etc in her similarly reared oldest son.

The Guardian - Opinion

I noticed from the flyleaf of Peter Duck that the author had written others, and my method of searching for these books had a sort of dim pathos about it; I simply went around picking up any book I saw lying about to see if it was called Swallows and Amazons.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pathos" to describe situations or elements in writing that evoke strong emotions, particularly pity, sorrow, or tenderness. Ensure the context supports the emotional weight of the word.

Common error

Avoid using "pathos" as a simple synonym for sadness. "Pathos" encompasses a broader range of emotions and often implies a persuasive element, as in rhetoric. Recognize when the situation calls for a general expression of sadness versus a deliberate attempt to evoke a specific emotional response in an audience.

Linguistic Context

Pathos functions primarily as a noun, denoting a quality that evokes emotions, particularly pity or sadness. It is often used in literary analysis and rhetoric to describe elements that elicit strong feelings from an audience. Ludwig's examples show its use in diverse contexts, from describing sports to analyzing literature.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "pathos" refers to a quality that evokes emotions, primarily pity or sadness, often used deliberately in rhetoric and literature. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and frequent usage across diverse fields like news, science, and formal communications. While "pathos" is often associated with sadness, it encompasses a broader range of emotions and is strategically employed to connect with an audience. Related phrases include "appeal to emotion" and "pathetic quality", though these carry subtle differences in focus and intensity. To use "pathos" effectively, focus on contexts where evoking a strong emotional response is appropriate, avoiding the trap of using it merely as a synonym for sadness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pathetic quality

Directly refers to the quality of something that evokes pity or sadness, like the original term.

appeal to emotion

Focuses on the act of attempting to persuade through feelings, shifting from the feeling itself.

emotional appeal

Highlights the persuasive technique that uses feelings, instead of the specific emotion.

evocation of pity

Highlights the action of causing pity rather than the inherent quality.

arousing sympathy

Emphasizes the act of generating sympathetic feelings in an audience.

poignant feeling

Describes a sharp, often painful, feeling that evokes emotions, emphasizing intensity.

touching sentiment

Indicates a sentiment that evokes tender emotions, changing the core word.

sense of sorrow

Directly refers to the emotion of sorrow or sadness, a specific type of pathos.

feeling of compassion

Focuses specifically on compassion as the emotion evoked, narrowing the scope.

stirring tenderness

Implies an active movement that causes tenderness, offering a more dynamic feel.

FAQs

How is "pathos" used in rhetoric?

In rhetoric, "pathos" refers to the appeal to the emotions of the audience. It's a persuasive technique used to evoke feelings such as pity, sorrow, or anger to convince them of a particular argument. This contrasts with "logos" (appeal to logic) and "ethos" (appeal to credibility).

What emotions does "pathos" typically evoke?

"Pathos" commonly evokes emotions like pity, sorrow, tenderness, and compassion. It can also stir feelings of outrage or indignation, depending on the context and how it's used to influence an audience's perception.

Is "pathos" the same as empathy?

While related, "pathos" and empathy aren't identical. "Pathos" is the quality that evokes emotions, whereas empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. "Pathos" can inspire empathy, but empathy itself is a personal capacity, not a quality of something else.

What are some literary devices used to create "pathos"?

Authors use devices such as vivid imagery, emotional language, and tragic irony to create "pathos". They may also use character development to elicit empathy for characters who suffer or face misfortune. Storytelling structures that emphasize loss or injustice are also effective.